Now United were put together by Simon Fuller – the puller of strings behind The Spice Girls and Pop Idol/American Idol – as a truly international proposition. Made up of 14 different singers and dancers from 14 different countries, it’s geo-targeting writ large, with members from Senegal, South Korea, Japan, Finland, China, India, Mexico, Russia, the UK, the US and Germany making up the numbers.
This cosmopolitan collective released their debut single at the end of 2017 and undertook their first world tour earlier this year. They already have sponsorship deals in place with Samsung, Tommy Hilfiger, Unilever and SAP. Now Pepsi is adding to that brand pile.
As a global act, it follows that the marketing plan is also global, focusing on key emerging markets – notably India. There the act have partnered with Pepsi’s local subsidiary as well as with rapper Badshah (via Sony Music India) to collaborate on a track. The soft drinks brand is also deeply involved in Now United’s first promo trip to India. It doesn’t end there as Indian MCN One Digital Entertainment, which handles the digital side of Badshah’s business, is also involved in the partnership. “I first worked with Pepsi with the then unknown group, Spice Girls,” said Fuller. “Here I am, many years later, working with Pepsi again, continuing to push the boundaries with my new global pop group.”
Tarun Bhagat – who has the amazing job title of director of marketing, hydration and cola, at PepsiCo India – added, “We are committed to identifying new and upcoming talent; and giving them a stage to showcase their art. Through the platform provided to them by Pepsi, Badshah and Now United will explore new ways of giving their fans a one-of-a-kind experience.”
The proposed collaborative single – ‘How We Do It’ – will be released this Thursday (29th November). It is interesting that the partnership with a soft drinks brand is happening in a market like India when in other markets, such as the UK, an act marketed at young consumers being so closely associated with a sugary beverage could see all manner of public outcry. Oh, and it’s probably for the best if you don’t mention Kendal Jenner to them…
